


He's Ours

by Angelicat2



Series: "Property" Marked [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: And Pidge knows it now, Angst with a Happy Ending, Choking, Collars, Hopeful Ending, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) Whump, Muzzles, Protective Keith (Voltron), Protective Pidge (Voltron), Protective Shiro (Voltron), Scared Keith (Voltron), Shiro and Keith are both idiots in love, Team as Family, Torture, weird quintessence magic non-sense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-14 16:56:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18952192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelicat2/pseuds/Angelicat2
Summary: The team is unsure of how to help Shiro and Keith with Keith being a Marked One. When he gets kidnapped and hurt, they decide it's time to actually do something to protect their friend.





	He's Ours

**Author's Note:**

> Here's part 3. I know a lot of you guys have been waiting, and I hope it's satisfactory. Enjoy!

Pidge hated this.

She could see Keith and Shiro were both having lots of issues. They all were on the team. The whole "Property Marking" thing was really bothering them in so many ways. 

It cast Keith off as a nobody. Like he was a _slave_. Pidge remembered her American history, and this was giving her that feeling of slavery. Right from the people who took power wherever they could with no care to those they had that power over. 

Who ever brands the other can do what they want to them. Check. The person branded has no rights. Check. Society oscrasizes those who've been branded. Double check. 

They all were pissed. Keith was part of the team. He was part of the family. But with every interaction between them and new aliens, Keith and Shiro were drifting further away from each other, and them. They interacted with them less on a personal level, and more as co-workers who got stuck in lions.

 

Pidge knew Shiro felt guilty. He thought it was all his fault. The guilt was branded on his face every time he glanced at the younger man. He often avoided him whenever he could, choosing to spend time doing other things. Pidge honestly knew he didn’t actually do much in those cases like he said. He often tried to secretly help out Keith by leaving him little things that made his day better like hand-written notes and sometimes things he picked up from missions. As for Keith, he thought he deserved the response he got from being a Branded One. Said he was used to it.

Pidge had nearly punched something when the older had said that casually as if it were a regular talk about food goo. What the fuck had happened in Keith’s past to make him think that it was okay to be treated this way? What had happened to Keith to make him think being degraded...being treated like a _thing_ , an _object_ was what he should be used to? Who the fuck had hurt him so badly before that he accepted this? That he never stood up for himself? She had restrained herself then, but it didn't stop her from crying in her own room later. Nightmares about Keith being hurt like this bad on Earth roamed her dreams, alongside the ones of finding her family’s corpses. 

She was searching for her brother, but she was going to lose the one in front of her. She wouldn't let that happen. However, she...no one knew what to do. She had researched the laws, but there didn't seem to be any loopholes in them. Or at least, none that they (minus the Red and Black Paladins, as they didn't want to get their hopes up only for it to not work later) could find. The Property Marking was not only a physical and social thing, but magic was involved. Something about Shiro's quintessence being stored in Keith's, creating a literal bond between them. One that was so lopsided that Pidge wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all.

Keith literally couldn't go too far away from Shiro without feeling like his energy was suddenly flatlining. Allura had been there along with Pidge the one time it happened. The Green Paladin remembered the other laughing softly at something before he all but staggered forward like he was dizzy and weak. Pidge had called in Coran and the rest as she and the princess knelt over him.

"His quintessence!" Allura exclaimed in horror, mouth gaping in true terror that she didn't even make at facing the worst odds, "It's being drained! It could kill him!"

"How do we get it back to normal?" Pidge asked as she placed Keith's mostly limp head on her lap, "Can anyone give theirs? Like a blood transfusion? What's causing it?"

"We would have to have the equipment to do so. And his quintessence would have to match the donor's, which is nearly impossible! Everyone's life force is unique to them. Mine is not like Coran's, as yours is not the same as Lance or Hunk's." Allura frowned as she placed both hands to Keith's pale face, "It's still going do-wait, it's stopped falling. It's dangerously low, but if it stays the same, he'll be okay as long as we get it back up."

"Damn it," the youngest cursed as she slapped her alarm, "Where the quiznak are they?"

"His quintessence!" Pidge prepared herself for terrible news as Allura's eyes opened wider, "It's rising!"

"WHAT? HOW IS TH-" Pidge was interrupted by the rest of the team, who rushed to them with bayards ready to strike. She could see the oldest human looking them over, until he noticed the bundle in her lap. Shiro's eyes went wide in shock and fear before they turned to steel.

"Keith!" He dropped to the younger's side, holding his hand, "Keith! I'm here, buddy. I got you."

"Sh-shiro?" Keith wheezed softly with eyes barely open, still exhausted, "Wh-what hap-happen..."

He didn't have enough energy to finish the sentence as he collapsed back into her lap.

"I don't know what happened," Shiro smiled fondly which Keith returned with one of his own. Shiro's worried grey eyes gazed over at them before they went back to Keith, "But I'll find out. Just take it easy."

"His quintessence is returning to normal," the older girl whispered into her ear. Pidge turned to her only to see shining eyes, "I think I know what caused it."

Pidge followed the Altean's gaze and nearly paled. It was Shiro. The Property Mark...it had to be from the scar Shiro gave Keith.

"But...that would require-"

"Magic," Coran stated from the back of the room, "Quintessence binding to be precise. What did you feel back there before we got the call, Number One?"

"I don't know," Shiro looked at them, fingers weaving through Keith's ebony hair, "I felt fine, and then it was like before we head into battle. A spike of fear and adrenaline."

That event led to lots of issues for everyone. Shiro and Keith couldn't get too far apart. Inside the lions was fine over longer distances, but it had a limit.

They couldn't do anything about it. There didn't seem to be any way to get that to stop. They didn't want to test it too much. 

Until the day Keith got kidnapped.

.....

It was a normal day. Fight the Galra, defeat the Galra, hack their files to get data to find Matt, go to a boring dumb feast, have feast turn into a diplomatic meeting.

The same old, same old. 

Pidge sighed. She would rather be back in the castle, running codes to locate her family. She didn't want to be social with these beings who were way too like Lance; Social butterflies. 

The Yopbts were a group of extroverts, easily excitable. They had literal wings like a butterfly, only less beautiful butterfly and more creepy, dead-looking, spider-webbed winged butterflies. They were the size of humans with two eyes, legs, arms, and so on. Their skin was the color of oil, some pitch black and others with strange rainbow tints.

"Hey," a voice pulled her from her thoughts as she glanced over at the alien who spoke. A smaller Yopbt stood in front of Keith off to the side. Pidge tensed as she moved closer, getting ready to defend Keith and get out of there. If the alien so much as said anything mea-

"You're the Red Paladin, right?"

"Uhhh..." Keith trailed off with uncertainty creeping into his voice, "Yeah."

"That's awesome!" The younger laughed and Keith stared with wide eyes, like he wasn't used to people being awed by him, "I wanna be like you someday!"

"Y-you do?" Keith asked cautiously, like he was waiting for the kid to drop the act.

"Yeah!" The younger took no notice of the other's fear in his voice. Pidge continued on, only a few yards away, "You fly the fastest lion! Oh, and red! I love red!"

"I..uh..."

"Black is a great color too! But I like the Red Lion more than the black one," the younger grinned, arms wide and wings fluttering, "I wish I could fly!"

"I...Why can't you fly?" Keith asked curiously as he stood to the smaller's level, "Your wings look like they can fly."

"Well, we have a cu-"

"IKRA!" Another alien scolded, placing her hand on her child's shoulder, "What have I told you about getting so enthusiastic with the guests!"

"I don't mind," Keith stated softly only for the mother to gaze at him. Pidge didn't like the calculating stare she sent him. It was like she was staring at a piece of jewelry to be bought and owned, "She wasn't bothering me-"

"Well, she knows better," the butterfly-spider lady scowled before eyeing Keith again and yanking the smaller with her, "Come along, Ikra. Let's find your samra and go home. It's late."

"Yes, mother," the younger rolled her silver grey eyes before smiling and waving at a stunned Keith, "Bye, Red Paladin! It was fun meeting you! Hope I get to see you again soon!"

And then the woman brushed past Pidge, nearly knocking her over. The blonde frowned as she glared back, but the two were gone in the crowd. 

She turned back to Keith.

 

"I hope so too, Ikra," Pidge heard him mutter under his breath before his dark eyes turned to her, "Oh, hey, Pidge. How's the party going?"

"As boring as ever," she scowled and flopped onto his shoulder. Both tensed, waiting for the aliens to say something, but nothing came so the Green Paladin continued, "I can't believe they have no tech."

 

"No tech, no forest," Keith shrugged nonchalantly before he frowned, "Something's not right. This place feels...wrong."

 

"Is this another one of those energy-feeling things?"

 

"Yeah," he nodded, and Pidge noticed how tense he was still, like a wire about to break, "I can't explain it...but it feels like they've been...changed...corrupted...Like a hoverbike after it's been left out in a sandstorm. All scratched up and worn...dusty?"

 

Of course he'd use a hoverbike analogy. Pidge silently scoffed before she nodded. She could understand that one though. 

 

"I don't think they're supposed to look like they do."

 

"That's a little harsh," Lance exclaimed from behind them, and Keith's face dropped instantly, "They might look creepy, but that's part of them, dude."

 

Keith glanced at the other with heavy, exhausted eyes, but he didn't say anything to the younger. He turned back to the crowd with a bite on his upper lip, tooth digging into his flesh. Pidge glared at a surprised Blue Paladin who looked between them with a frustratingly confused expression.

 

"I'm going to Shiro," Keith interrupted their interaction as he moved away from them. Pidge watched as the other moved to the Black Paladin's side. The older grinned at him before he seemed to notice Keith wasn't feeling the best. His hand pulled Keith into a side hug, one that the younger man leaned into, hiding his expression from the crowd and them as his hair curtained his face.

 

"Would you not!" Pidge rounded on the Cuban friend, jabbing him harshly in the side, "Why are you such a jerk?"

 

"I wasn't being a jerk!" He squawked as he rubbed his rubs, "Keith was being me-"

 

"And you got on his case," Pidge snarled as she pushed her finger into his breastplate, "This is exactly the behavior he expects from others because of his mark. Not his friends!"

 

"Well, I..." Lance glanced at the direction of the two older paladins, who were now fully engaged in a hug, Keith resting his head on the older's chest, "I...I didn't mean to sound so..."

 

"I know," Pidge spoke as she patted his arm, much lighter than before, "But Keith doesn't know that."

 

"You're right," the other teen nodded, "I'll apologize later, after the party."

 

If only he had been able to. But Keith had disappeared soon after, unable to be found. They   
were all worried, Shiro the most when it was time to leave and there was no Red Paladin with them. They searched for him everywhere, but came up empty until they found one of his cuffs, broken on the floor. There were signs of a fight, scuff marks and sword marks in the walls. They found the rest of his armor scattered around further away, along his blade and bayard, both dormant. 

 

"Where is he?"

 

"What in the quiznak happened!"

 

"Who did this!"

 

"Keith!" Shiro cried out as he grabbed his head, "It's happening."

 

"What's happening!"

 

"He's going outside of the range," Pidge exclaimed as Shiro muttered something she couldn't understand, probably in Japanese, "We have to get him back!"

 

"But where are they taking him?" Hunk questioned with a frown, "This planet's not big enough to cause this problem. Unless..."

 

"Guys!" Shiro shouted as he glanced up at them, "Guys! I can't feel it anymore!"

 

"What?"

 

"The feeling stopped."

 

Pidge went cold. None of them would say what they feared. That Keith's energy dropped so low that his quintessence faded. That Keith was...

 

"NO!" The oldest paladin shouted, getting all their attention, "We're not giving up on him! Keith needs us. And we'll be there to find him. He’s alive, and we have to find him."

 

"You're correct, Shiro," Allura nodded as she stared at the mess left behind, "I will not let them touch my paladins. Nor will I let them hurt my family. We must contact the Blade."

 

So that's what they did. At the same time, Pidge got down to tracking Keith, but that was difficult to do since the armor was no longer on him, and that had been the traceable part. There were a million places to hide including some other planets in their system. And then it turns out that Kolivan was not aware of the quintessence binding. That all those who escaped had seemed fine, with the exception of one Marked One who went crazy, trying to kill the aliens around her in a frenzied panic. They thought it had been the stress and fear of living in hiding clouding her mind.

 

Pidge thought otherwise, especially since magic was involved. The Green Paladin was a person of science, but she couldn't deny that magic had a role in this.

 

It was too long when they got a call. 

 

"It's from the Yopbts!" Coran shouted as they braced themselves. The screen came on to the one Pidge had seen talking to Keith. Her face was worried as she hunched over the camera.

 

"Ikra?" Pidge asked incredulously as she gazed over the younger, "What are you-"

 

"I don't have much time!" She exclaimed as she gazed behind her, "I know where the Red Paladin is! He's not hurt, but...he's not doing great."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"He's panicking and scared and crying!" The alien's eyes shone, "He needs help. The legends weren't supposed to be this way!"

 

"Woah," Lance comforted her quietly, "Slow down. It's okay. What legend?"

 

"The one about our people," her silver eyes watched them as one webbed wings twitched, "A long time ago, a witch placed a curse on us. My mama and mother were just kids when it happened. The curse turned all of our wings into what you see now. We can't fly with them anymore. There was a prophecy told of how a Marked One's pain and fear would reverse the curse. I don't like what they're doing! I heard them talking about going further...I like the Red Paladin. You have to help him."

 

"We'll get him out," Shiro reassured as her eyes found him and widened, "Tell us where you are, please. We want Keith back as much as you want him safe."

 

"You're the one who left the scar, right?" Shiro nodded with a wince, "Then I trust you guys to get him out. We can do this!"

 

And then they had his location. 

 

.....

It turns out that they were on the fifth planet away from their home planet. It's name was one that even Pidge didn't catch. It's a planet about the size of Pluto, but it's gravity is closer to that of Earth's. The whole planet is blood red with spider web cracks of lava, making it look like the land is bleeding. Somehow, Pidge reads that the atmosphere is perfectly breathable to humans and other people. The place looks abandoned, but her sensors in Green pick up a base under the heated rocks.

Keith had to be in there.

 

"Alright, team," Shiro began as he put their plan into words, "Allura and Coran, stay back in the castle and create a distraction if we need one. Hunk and Lance, get to your lions and fly around to further distract them when that time comes. Pidge and I will go in to find Keith and bring him back home. Remember, don't hurt anyone...They're not thinking clearly."

Pidge scoffed and rolled her eyes. Clearly they were not thinking. 

"Let's get to work," Shiro nodded as they broke up into groups. Pidge and Shiro went to Green. The lion rumbled in her mind, sensing her worry.

'Sorry,' Pidge frowned as she rubbed her face, 'I don't want to lose him. We have to get him back, and when we do, we'll make sure this never happens again.'

 

Green answered back with a roar, launching off into the air. Flying in was easy. Pidge turned on the cloaking device, quickly flying in without being noticed. Behind them, Hunk and Lance waited in case if they needed the distraction. Green landed on top of the base, right over a hidden door none of the aliens used anymore. With Shiro’s help, they peeled the door back before slipping inside.

“Where to now?” Shiro asked as he glanced around the dark halls, “Keith is somewhere around here, but I feel it’s not right here.”

“Well, my scanner isn’t quite working,” Pidge smacked it a bit, but the screen continued to flicker and distort the map, “Which is weird because it was working a moment ago an-”

Pidge froze. Shiro’s words finally set in as she turned to look at him, eyes wide. Keith and Shiro were so much alike that they even said hinting things without truly knowing they were saying.

_“Some kind of energy…”_

_“I feel it’s not right here…”_

“What did you say?”

“Um,” Shiro frowned at her with a blink, “That Keith is around here somewhere, but I can’t feel where.”

“Exactly,” Pidge grabbed the other’s arm with a bit of excitement flowing through her body, “You said ‘feel.’ Not you don’t know where he is, but that you can feel that he’s not in this area.”

“So,” Shiro frowned before his own eyes widened, “You think I can tell where Keith is?”

“Yeah,” she nodded as she shrugged and lifted the man’s arm in certain directions, “I mean, we already know magic is involved in the marking process and that a piece of your quintessence is in Keith’s or vice versa. Maybe the quintessence wants to link back to you, and that’s how you can find him.”

“Pidge,” Shiro raised a brow as he stared at her, “What are you doing with my arm?”

“Uh,” she blinked before shrugging, “Trying to figure out a way to get you to find Keith.”

“I think I can manage that,” the man chuckled softly before closing his eyes and whispering almost too quietly for Pidge to hear, “Patience...yields...focus.”

A moment went by. Something banged in the distance of the halls, but neither acknowledged it. Another few minutes past before Shiro finally opened his eyes.

“I think he is that way,” Shiro pointed down a hall before racing away. Pidge took off after him, cursing under her breath at the fact that she had such short legs. Running through the halls for at least ten minutes, both paused for a quick breath as the older glanced around for a second. Before she could blink, the man ran to the side. She also went the same way, checking her map, which didn’t improve. Glaring at the machine, she nearly ran into Shiro who was paused at a door. 

“He’s in here,” he spoke like he knew for sure that his best friend was inside. Pidge didn’t doubt it as she set her taser to stun mode. Both glanced at each other, golden meeting silver eyes before they opened the door slowly.

Light flooded into the room. The room hadn’t been dark before, but compared to the light from the hallway, it was. Pidge held out her weapon as she scanned the room with her eyes. Shiro did the same from her side, body tense as could be. Neither knew where to start, so they looked around. 

It was a somewhat lavished room with plenty of bright colors. The floors were plush and carpeted and clean. Everything was hung out like it belonged there, from the curtains to the desk to the bed in the corner. Both searched for what felt like hours, neither finding Keith at all. Every so often, Shiro’s gaze would linger on the spot by the bed. 

So that’s where Pidge went. Keith’s instincts were hardly ever wrong, and neither were Shiro’s. The looks were telling them something. Pidge tapped against the wall a few times before something hollow banged back at her. Glancing about, she spied a rug out of place just the slightest bit. Rolling her eyes at the number of t.v. tropes in this one scene, she threw it back. Underneath was a small switch of some sort, and Pidge flipped it.

The wall in front of them changed suddenly, almost like it was evaporating away into mist. Seconds past before it cleared all the way, making the room bigger. The inside was much duller than what they were surrounded by, as if the room hadn’t seen light for a long time. Pidge’s eyes roamed over the room before she caught onto the post in the middle of the room. Trailing the chain attached to the post, she almost gasped.

It was Keith.

Keith was pressed into a ball at the corner of the room, back digging into the wall. His face was buried into his knees, and he was shivering like the room was freezing. A muffled whimper left his throat every few seconds before he twitched slightly. He was dressed in a skimpy outfit, a dark red suit that made him stand out in the room. The clothing did cover his front well, and any other area Pidge would be worried about being exposed.

Keith twisted to the side for a second, showing his back. Pidge nearly hissed as she looked there. The outfit skipped the area of the scar, showing a perfect large handprint. Pidge had never really seen it up close, since neither Shiro nor Keith ever really talked about it or showed it to them. It was darker than the rest of his skin, more like a maroon patch than peach. It didn’t take a medical professional to know that it was scarred low enough to probably not be able to feel anything in that area.

“Keith?” Shiro asked cautiously as he reached out his hand, “Keith, can you hear me? We’re here to get you out, buddy.”

Keith curled up tighter as the chains rattled, and he pushed himself back even further into the wall, pulling the chain as taut as it could go. Pidge’s heart broke at the tiny whimper that left Keith again.

“Keith,” Shiro whispered sadly as he carefully touched the other’s shoulder. Just as he did so, Keith jolted upright before backing away from the older, staring at the man with fright in his eyes. 

Pidge felt her anger soar when she saw the muzzle placed to his mouth, blocking him from speaking or crying out. Attached to the muzzle was a set of cuffs that were chained so closely to his face that he could barely move his arms in any direction. As if that wasn’t enough, there was a collar on him like something a dog would wear, and it was the thing that connected the chain back to the pole.

Why the fuck would they use a muzzle on him! What the hell! Pidge seethed as she glared at the chain.

"Keith, it's okay," Shiro tried again, but Keith pressed back harder, wall digging into his back, "It's me. You're gonna be okay."

Keith jerked back as he began to shake with fear. Black hair curled over the muzzle as he yanked on the chain, not making a sound. His gaze stayed on Shiro the whole time, eyes only getting more scared as the seconds flew by. Shiro took a step forward only for Keith to let out a choked sob as he tried to curl up on the spot with his knees up.

Like he was trying to make himself smaller. Like he didn't want to be seen.

"Shiro!" Pidge called out, "Get back. You're not helping him right now."

Keith's eyes snapped to her as he paused in pulling the chain. The older teen stared at her in confusion before his eyes wandered back to Shiro's. The younger man waited as if expecting the older to say something, which Shiro did not do. Suddenly, Keith relaxed slightly, sitting with less fear in his posture. 

"You okay, Keith?" She asked softly as Keith nodded, "Okay. Good. We'll get you out of that so we can go home."

Keith nodded before his eyes zeroed in on something behind them. A muffled shout left him before something smacked Pidge from behind. She flew forward into the wall, feeling a bit dazed as she was pulled to her feet with her hands tied behind her tightly. Whoever had her moved her back slightly before forcing her down on her knees.

Blinking her eyes, she glanced over to her left. Shiro was near her side in the same position as her. A stream of blood dripped from his face as he glared at the woman before them. The sickly yellow-tinted wings were familiar to Pidge as she watched the woman turn to them.

It was Ikra's mother.

"Of course you're behind this," Pidge spoke as she glared at the woman, "I should've known the moment I saw you stare at our friend like a piece of vintage for your collection."

"No collection here, rest assured," the woman began as she stepped closer to Keith who glared at her, so unlike earlier, "We only need him. He is the thing that will save us."

"Well, you've clearly accomplished that," Pidge sarcastically as she rolled her eyes, "How will you even know when it helps?"

"Oh, we will know," she smirked before grabbing Keith's chain and yanking on it. Keith resisted, pulling back on it, "It is said that his pain and fear will reverse the curse placed upon us. It looks like fear isn't working so I'm thinking we need to turn to pain."

Before anyone could react, she slashed her long claws along Keith's forehead down to the muzzle. The Red Paladin yelped in surprise as blood flowed from three open gashes that luckily missed his left eye. The woman held onto the muzzle, which Keith tried to pull away from. 

"Now, now," she frowned as she tapped on one of the cuts, "No need to fight it. It'll happen regardless of what you do. Why don't you give in, little deglr-"

Keith kicked out his foot, taking the woman by surprise. She fell backwards onto the floor, and Pidge yanked against whoever was holding her. Just as she thought she was going to get free, a loud crackle filled the air as Keith screamed behind the muzzle. Pidge's attention leapt to Keith who was twitching a bit, on his front now. The woman was holding a long device to the edge of his scar, and electricity arched through it, making Keith cry out again.

"The edge of a Marked One's scar is super sensitive," she grinned before pressing down harder on Pidge's friend, "More sensitive than other areas."

Keith laid there, eyes closed as he tried to breathe. Pidge could tell he was hurting, even with the closed off face. Beside her, Shiro glared even harder than before. 

"Don't touch him," he growled as he knelt straighter, "You have no right."

"Oh, silly Galra rules," she waved her hand at him before brushing the electric prod against Keith's back, "They think the Galra rules apply here. You're his...owner, I suppose. Hands certainly are big enough."

Shiro narrowed his eyes, but Pidge could see the shame in them. When he didn't say anything, she pressed on.

"You're just gonna go home and do the same thing I'm doing here," she smirked as Shiro paled, "So I'll save you the hassle. All the Galra are the same when it comes to their Marked Ones. We've had a few here before. They've eventually told us their sad stories. All used like they were property. All crying that they'd be found by their masters, begging to be saved from them. So we saved them, but none worked to revive us. But when your Marked One showed up, oh what a sight. It's been about 19 years since the last one, and we knew it had to be this one."

"I…" Shiro glared before he threw himself back at the person holding him. Said man gasped as he was flung back. Shiro got to his feet with his hands still behind his back as he moved to take out the woman. Pidge fought her own guard, but had no luck at getting out of his hold. She turned her eyes up just in time to see the woman slam her foot into Shiro's stomach and then smash her elbow into his neck. The man collapsed in a pill of limbs as Keith cried out, eyes wide in shock. 

The younger leapt at her without a care if he got hurt, rage burning wildly in his eyes. Once again getting the drop on her, he yanked on a wing before putting all of his weight on her back. She yelped this time as she struggled to get out of his grip. Before Pidge could shout for Keith to watch out, the woman pulled on something connected to the collar. Keith held on to her wing for a moment before he grabbed at the collar. 

"Fool," she gasped as she stood up. Keith stayed on the ground, continuing to yank on the collar as his chest heaved for air that wasn't coming, "You can join the rest of them! I'll find a new one anyway! And trying to protect your owner? Foolish! He'd just do what I did! You're nothing more than the lowest of lows! It's better that I end it this way than to let him take you back."

Keith was beginning to grow sluggish by now, face an off color. Pidge probably screamed something out as her heart broke in her chest. At the same time, Shiro whispered Keith's name under his breath before trying to get up. Unfortunately, the man previously holding him pressed down his foot on Shiro's neck, holding him in place. 

"STOP!" 

Something flew past them like a comet into the night, throwing the leader back and standing in front of Keith. By the time she recognized who it was, the other had already removed Keith's muzzle and collar, cuffs falling off. Keith gasped as he forced in big breaths, making up for the ones missed. Pidge could see the stuff holding the oldest’s arms behind his back fall off as Shiro knocked the man off. He scooted to Keith's side, holding him close as the younger set his face into the crook of his neck.

"This is not how we should be doing this!" Ikra stood tall before her mother who scowled, "You don't break a curse by hurting others!"

"Ikra," the woman scolded, "What would your samra think about you interfering?"

"My mama would be ashamed," she spat back as she stepped forward, "Of you! Mama always told us that we should be kind to those who save us. The Paladins of Voltron helped get rid of the Galra. They have been nothing but nice to us. Even after they fought the battle, they chose to come have talks of alliance to us.”

“But he is a Marked One!” The woman screamed as she pointed at Keith who held onto Shiro tighter, “A Marked One who can get us flying again! You never knew the glories of such things! And now, you never will.”

“I don’t care if I ever get to fly,” the girl stood there, silver eyes blazing much like a certain teammate’s always did, “The Red Paladin is a good person. If I were a Marked One, I’d be proud to be just like him!”

Keith gasped softly before peeking to look at her, face shocked. Pidge would have laughed if it were a less serious moment.

“He’s strong and friendly,” Ikra continued as she glared sadly at her mother, “He’s clearly loyal to his friends, and to his _best friend_. All things we should strive for! But this is what we do? Cause them pain? Please, mother. Let’s change it.”

The mother seemed ready to yell at her some more before she paused. Her expression changed from anger to understanding as she wiped her face, tears starting to fall. She quickly turned to the men behind them all and waved them off. The material holding Pidge dissolved in a blink, allowing her to flex her arms in front of her.

“I am...sorry,” the woman apologized as she gazed over each of them before her eyes landed on Keith who blinked, still holding onto Shiro, “I have let my fear and pain cloud my actions, and for that I am sorry. You may be a Marked One, but as my daughter has said, you are brave to be fighting in this war - all of you - and I am ever grateful. We will join your alliance, to assist you in whatever way we can. I am forever in your debt, for you have helped me see that my daughter and my people are far stronger than I believed. We do not need our previous forms to be whole. Just each other.”

Pidge wanted to wipe her own tears away. This made her miss her mom, who was back on Earth, no clue that she had left to the Garrison undercover and now in space. She was going to find her brother and dad and get them back home.

“And to you, Red Paladin,” she didn’t step forward, but her wings twitched, “I was being so rash. You are not a fool for protecting those you love. Just remember that, young one.”

Pidge could see Keith tilting his head before he glanced at Shiro who wasn’t looking at him. The younger could see the shine in his large eyes as she watched him gaze at his best friend...huh…

And then a bright light lit up the room. All four aliens were so bright that they had to cover their eyes. When Pidge deemed it safe enough to look again, she looked up at them and actually gasped along with Shiro and Keith. The aliens were no longer spider-webbed. They looked so much like the fairies she had seen in the movies and books. The two guys were both in bright green outfits with blue wings. The mother was in a orange dress with golden yellow wings, not unlike a butterfly’s. And Ikra was in a black outfit with long sleeves and pants. Her wings were red, the exact shade of the Red Lion. 

“Look!” She shouted happily as she burst into the air, spiraling around wildly, “I’m flying!”

“Let’s go home, buddy,” Shiro grinned down at Keith who was staring at Ikra with a content grin on his face. Shiro was sending Keith the same look Keith had been shooting at him minutes before, all soft and heart-eyed. Pidge glanced between them before rolling her eyes at their idiocy. They’d figure it out later...hopefully.

“I’ll have Green pick us up!”

…..

“So that was fun,” Pidge collapsed on the couch, plopping onto Lance’s leg as the older groaned, “But I don’t want to do that again. I’m gonna be so sore tomorrow.”

“Imagine Shiro and Keith then,” Lance snickered before he sobered, “We...I don’t want this to ever happen again. I thought we lost him...for a while there.”

“Heh,” a raspy voice interrupted them as they both jumped in fright, “Good to know you care, Lance.”

“Me! Pffftt!” Lance sputtered as he glared at Keith without the heat in his eyes, “I care! Gotta keep you alive to make sure I can still beat you at the gladiator. Can’t let me win that easily.”

“Thanks,” Keith snickered softly before he yawned softly. The bandages on his face and neck looked ominous, but they were healing his injuries. He still was having some problems with his throat after being choked by the collar, but he had insisted on not going into the pod, and they had let him off with it, knowing that it wasn’t life-threatening. Just as she thought that, Shiro peeked his head around the door, gaze lighting up when he saw Keith. There was a small bruise to the side of his temple and he held his shoulder stiffly, but other than that, the older was fine.

“There you are,” he grinned before strolling into the room, “I was wondering.”

“Yeah,” Keith yawned again, louder this time as he rubbed his eye, “I’m okay.”

“I see that,” the older smiled softly before he walked to the couch behind Keith, carefully pulling the younger down to rest his head on his lap. If it were anyone trying, they’d get a punch to the face for even doing so, but this was Shiro, who got away with a lot of stuff when it came to Keith. Pidge rolled her eyes even harder this time. They were really idiots. Now she knows what her brother suffered through after his complaining to her about Shiro talking about Keith seventy-five percent of the time. 

“Hey, I got us some of our favorites!” Hunk announced at he strolled into the room, trays of food on both arms. Pidge’s mouth watered as she smelt something that was undenably-

“Peanut butter cookies!” She shouted as she jumped off of Lance who groaned in pain as she kicked his leg, “Gimme them all! I call first dibs! On all of them!”

“Hey, no fair!” Lance squaked before he stared at Hunk with his pouty face. Pidge grabbed a cookie and scarfed it down as the other blinked, “Please. Buddy. My man. Pal. Tell me you got something for me to eat that isn’t food goo!”

“Yeah,” Hunk snickered before pulling out a few bread things, the smell of garlic in the air, “It’s not your mom’s famous batch, but I did make garlic knots.”

“Oh thank you, Hunk!” Lance all but hugged Hunk tightly before he grabbed the whole plate, hogging the dish to himself as he settled in his seat again, “This is delicious, dude!”

“Thanks, Lance,” the teen blushed softly before passing a dish of noodles to Shiro who stared at them in shock before his eyes softened and he glanced up, “Oh, a certain someone told me that you like traditional ramen noodles. Probably taste a bit different, but I hope it works.”

“Thanks, Hunk,” Shiro chuckled fondly as he carefully bumped Keith’s shoulder. Keith rolled his eyes before grinning back, shrugging slightly, “I’m sure it will taste great.”

“And for you,” Hunk sat some type of shake in front of Keith, one that he peered at curiously, “I know your throat is still sore and it’s hard to swallow, so I made this for you. Try it.”

Keith stared at it for a moment before scooping some up and eating it. His eyes opened wide in surprise, a smile lighting up his lips as he turned to Shiro. The older chuckled again before shrugging. Keith rolled his eyes playfully before taking another bite.

“Thanks,” he nodded at Hunk who grinned back, happy to have helped.

“No problem!” He exclaimed before seeing both Alteans, ushering them inside with two dishes of their own. They all settled down to eat.

“We need to talk,” Pidge began after a moment, letting everyone get their fill, “We are going to find a way to get Keith back on our team like normal. Like an actual team member. Fuck the rules, we just gotta find those loopholes.”

“And I think I have a few ideas to do just that, Number Five,” Coran grinned at them from over his dish. For the first time in a while, Pidge felt hope blossom in her chest. They may not have found her family yet, but she had a family here. And she was determined to protect it.

**Author's Note:**

> I know I said I'd make this part about the team finding loopholes in the rules, but I had to set up them being completely determined to help Keith. And...uh...Keith whump so...heh... :) 
> 
> I am planning on a fic where they actually go through with the ideas though.


End file.
